Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 6:47 pm

I've got to change my rear tires on one of my cubs....I've got a harbor freight tire changer and heard tell of a plywood adapter that is used to allow rear tires to be changed....I'm 6'4 and after reading an old post I have it mounted on a 3 point hitch carry all on a Ferguson To 20...But I can't seem to locate the post concerning the plywood adapter....I've also heard of changing the tires while their still mounted on the tractor....Question...How do you break the bead if it is done like this...Take the tire off and then put it back on seems like the only way...Can't seem to locate a tire shop in my area that will do the job...This will be a spring project, right now I'm just gathering info....Thanks ...I've gotten some great how to advice in the past...Should I mention I'm 66 with a bad back....

Re: Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 6:57 pm

Mike Duncan (Into Tractors) had made the plywood adaptor and was going to post pix of it for a how to but he hasn't gotten around to it yet. Maybe he will see this and respond.

Re: Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 7:30 pm

Fluid in tires?

I find it easier to dismount and mount rear tractor tires while the rim is still attached to the tractor. Bad back, very little actual lifting required.

pickerandsinger wrote:I've also heard of changing the tires while their still mounted on the tractor....Question...How do you break the bead if it is done like this.

I use two or more flat pry bars to break beads. Drive one flat pry bar between the rim and deflated tire bead until it contacts the rim. Twist the pry bar. Second pry bar driven in a few inches from the first - twist. Continue working around the tire until the bead has broken free of the rim.

Re: Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:05 pm

I pulled both my rears off a few months back and it was a JOB! I ended up taking them off to do the job as I figured it would be a lot easier. I could not get my beads to break for love nor money so I had to cheat. I laid them on the ground and got my 50hp Kubota and pressed down on the tire with the front loader while my son stood on the other side of the tire so it would not try and flip up. After spinning it around several times and pressing it to the ground a BUNCH of times they finally broke lose - it was a JOB!!Anyway just throwing this out there if things don't go as planned or you don't have the correct tools and must adapt and overcome.

Re: Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:08 pm

My vote and the way I do them is leave it mounted to the tractor. Makes a nice stable heavy weight to hold it. Of course only jack up one wheel at a time just off the ground so it will spin and block the other rear wheel so the tractor can't and won't roll. You can then put the trans. in neutral and spin the tire you are working on so you are always working at the top, less bending over. Need to hold the tire in place, put trans in gear to lock it. It also keeps it up off the ground so you don't accidentally get gravel or dirt in the tire when you're putting it back together. When you go to put it back together don't lift the tire, roll it along side and a little to the rear of it's final place on the rim. Start the bead over the rim on the back side and go as far up as you can then roll the rim forwards at the top and the tire lifts itself onto the rim continue working the bead over the rim and rolling forward. Insert the tube and work the other bead over the rim.

I do Cub rears and Farmall H 12.4 x 38 rears the same way. I have one of the HF tire changers and use it for the fronts although they don't fit the best. I wouldn't want to lift the Cub rear onto the thing and am not sure it would work all that great if I did. Lot's of lifting and fighting gravity. Small tires aren't to bad but larger tires get heavy.

Re: Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:22 pm

By doing it Scrivet's way there is less chance you end up with the tire tread facing the wrong way.

Re: Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:27 pm

code54 wrote:..... I could not get my beads to break for love nor money ..............

Have had the same problem. Finally bought a manual bead breaker for around $80 a few years ago. Works great. The price has gone up to around $140 and it's worth every penny if you are going to do big tires. Do a Google or Ebay search for "Esco manual bead breaker" to get an idea of what it looks like. There are other brands as well.

With the tire still mounted on the tractor drive the wedge between the rim and bead, tighten the clamp to get it aligned square, spin the wedge bolt to push the bead off the rim. Usually need to move it a couple times around the rim. First time I used it was on an H rim with Calcium Chloride and it was RUSTED everywhere. I had tried everything and had spent days with it and was about to resort to cutting the tire off when I bought the bead breaker. Took me longer to type this than get that tire off. DEFINITELY the right tool for the job!

Re: Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:34 pm

All else fails you can use a sawsall. That is if the tire coming off is junk

Re: Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:36 pm

beaconlight wrote:All else fails you can use a sawsall. That is if the tire coming off is junk

That's what I used on last one I removed. Worked like a charm

Re: Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 10:00 pm

beaconlight wrote:All else fails you can use a sawsall. That is if the tire coming off is junk

I use a metal cutting blade in the grinder to cut beads in tires. Makes a lot of smoke but cuts much faster than a sawsall with metal cutting blade. Finish cutting the tire with saws all.

Re: Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 10:06 pm

Changing tires still bolted on the tractor does make for a solid work station. The best hand tool used to break the bead is a slide hammer bead breaker (if available) worked around both beads, inside and outside.

The tire is then stripped from the wheel then replaced with tire irons or spoon bars. The use of soapy water or commercial tire lube is sometimes necessary for the beads to slip off. I always use lube.

The bead of the tire is porous rubber which allows rust to grow into it from the wheel forming a bond sometimes seemingly impossible to break loose.

If a rim has been on for decades, especially if loaded with calcium chloride, soak the bead with penetrating oil for a day before trying to break the bead. It will make breaking the bead so much easier.

Re: Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 10:52 pm

I watched a guy change the rear tire on a John Deere pulling tractor at a pull that I had entered. He changed it while mounted on the tractor. He made it look real easy. I had never seen it done like that before. It worked pretty slick.

Re: Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:04 pm

The trick after the tire is off do you want to clean and paint the rim? I often use a section cut from an old tube to line the rim and keep the old tube out of the rust.

Re: Rear tire changing

Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:51 pm

Since I am a wimpy female, I have taken my last 3 sets of tires to my local tire place and for $10 each, they will mount or dismount my tires. After I watched Yogie at Boss' do a few tire changes, I knew it was money well spent!!!!!!